Evaluation of Evidence Based Enteral Nutrition Training for Palliative Care Unit Nurses: Quasi-Experimental Study

Abstract

Background This study aimed to evaluate the effect of evidence-based training on enteral nutrition practices provided to palliative care nurses on their knowledge levels. Materials and Methods A quasi-experimental study, one-group pre-test and post-test design was employed from February to April 2024. The study involved registered nurses (46) from 5 public hospitals, representing all palliative care units in a northeastern province of Turkey. The training was conducted in a 2-h session. Data were collected using the 'Evidence-Based Enteral Nutrition Training Information Form for Palliative Care Nurses', designed by the researcher, both before (pre-test) and 1 month after (post-test) the training. Results Significant increases in correct response rates with a large effect size were observed in half of the questions concerning indications for enteral nutrition (p = 0.180, p = 0.001 Cohen's h = 1.40), all questions regarding enteral feeding tubes, and more than half of the questions related to enteral nutrition applications, with large effect sizes (p = 0.001 Cohen's h = 1.40, p = 0.001 Cohen's h = 1.12, p = 0.001 Cohen's h = 1.23, p = 0.001 Cohen's h = 0.52,) and potential complications, with medium to large effect sizes (p = 0.022 Cohen's h = 0.42, p = 0.001 Cohen's h = 0.56, p = 0.500). While the response rates for questions about complications of enteral nutrition solutions improved post-training, the differences were not statistically significant (p = 0.804, p = 0.076). Conclusions The educational intervention substantially improved palliative care nurses' knowledge regarding enteral nutrition, with effect sizes ranging from medium to large. This study highlights the importance of maintaining nurses' knowledge in alignment with current guidelines, particularly in specialized fields like palliative care. The results should be interpreted cautiously due to the single-group design and limited sample size.